Electric vapor apparatus.



P. G. HEWITT.

ELECTRIC VAPOR APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1905.

1,110,780. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

difference of potential ELECTRIC VAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I PETER COOPER Hnwrrr, a citizen of the United States,and resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric VaporApparatus, of which the following is a speclfication.

My invention relates to the construction and operation of electricapparatus of the now commonly termed vapor electric devices.

The object of the present invention is particularly to provide means forthe ready starting of the flow of current through the device. When theso-called negative electrode reluctance to starting has been broken downand a current commences to flowbetween a given positive conductor andthe negative, a second positive conductor may be readily substituted forthe first, the current either shifting entirely to the second positiveor'dividing between the two according to circumstances. Generallyspeaking, the substitution of one positive for another is more readilyaccomplished and at a less if the second is not very remote from thefirst. Nevertheless the place where another a considerabledissubstitution can take positive is located at tance from the startingposition or from a second positive already substituted.

y present invention relates more particularly to the substitution from aneighboring positive to amore remote positlve by means of an interveningpositive or series of positive electrodes, the current shifting firstfrom the first positive to a neighboring and successively to a moredistant posltive until it has reachedthe final working positive; theobject being that by increasing the number of positives to reduce thedifference of pressure or voltage requiredfor substitution.

he accompanying draWlIlg is an eleva tion and diagram illustrating oneapplication of the invention.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of my device and Fig. 2 showsone of the details on a somewhat larger scale.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents an inclosing chamber of suitablecharacter containing a negative electrode 2, and a mam working positiveelectrode 3. These are shown as located at or near opposite ends of thechamber 1. The former may consist of a small quantity of mercury, andthe latter of soft iron, carbon or other suitable material or, in somecases, it may be found advantageous to have it consist of a smallquantity of mercury. A temporary or starting positive electrode, 4, isshown as being located in a branch or connection 5, of the inclosingchamber. The main line conductor, 6, leads to the negative electrode,and the positive main line conductor, 7, leads to the working positiveelectrode 3. A branch circuit 8 leads" from the line 7 to the startingpositive 5, and resistance, 10, may be included in this branch circuitwhen necessary.

reactive coil or resistance 10 may be included in the circuit as innegative line 6. When the current is turned on, a flow of current isstarted between the starting positive 4, and the negative 2, by any wellknown suitable means, for instance, by a slight movement of thecontainer 1. The two bodies of mercury constituting these electrodes maybe brought into momentary contact thereby and separated, or current maybe started here by any other convenient means as for instance by meansfor bringing them into electrical connection and rupturing the same andalso, for instance, as indicated in my patents of September 17th, 1901.

have shown 1n the drawing a wire or conductor, 11, extending through aconsiderable portion of the chamber 1. This may be insulated to agreater or less extent by sleeves or beads, 13, of porcelain or othersuitable non-conducting material leaving, however, slight gaps orimperfectly insulated points at the adjacent ends of the sleeves,answering somewhat the same purpose as a high resistance material due tothe resistance of the gases. The conductor, 11, may be supported atintervals by means of insulating supports such as are illustrated at 20,20. his conductor is shown as leading to a point near the positive 3 andconnected by a conductor 7? with the conductor 8 between the resistances10 and 10". The connections of the conductor 8 with the conductor 7, isshown as being through a switch device 14 operated th? conductor leadingto the positive termina 3.

In practice when current flow is started between the electrodes 4 and 2,it will inlongitudinally by a coil 15 connected in stantly pass to thelower terminal of the conductor 11, the resistance 10 being of theproper amount, and gradually pass up to successive points along theconductor 11, but when near the upper terminal of the .conductor 11, itwill pass from there to the terminal 3, whereupon the cut-out devicewill operate opening the connections to the conductor 8. The resistances10 and 10", are such as to cause the current to shift'first from theelectrode 4 to the conductor 11 and then from that conductor to theelectrode-3. The current may be started between the electrodes 2 and 4,by shaking the device or in any other convenient manner.

Instead of the conductor 11 being surrounded by porcelain sleeves so asto give the result of a high resistance conductor, it may be found moreconvenient in certain cases to make it itself a high resistanceconductor which is contemplated as part of this invention.

I clam as my invention:

1. The combination of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, atemporary or starting positive electrode and a container including theparts thus named, with a solid conductor extending through a portion ofthe container into proximity with the negative electrode at one end andthe main positive electrode at the opposite end, and sleeves strung uponthe said solid conductor, leaving contacts between the sleeves, as andfor the purpose described.

2. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positiveelectrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrodelocated in proximity to the negative electrode, a main supply circuitconnected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, aconducting connection from said supplemental positive electrode to themain supply circuit, resistances in said connection and a secondsupplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supplycircuit through a portion of said resistance.

3. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positiveelectrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrodelocated in proximity to the'negative electrode, a main supply circuitconnected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, aconductive connection from said supplemental positive electrode to themain supply circuit, a resistance in said connection, a secondsupplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supplycircuit through a portion of said resistance, and means forautomatically opening the connections With the supplemental positiveelectrode.

4-. The combination in a vapor electric apparatus of a main positiveelectrode, a main negative electrode, a supplemental positive electrodelocated in proximity to the negative electrode, a main supply circuitconnected to the main positive and the main negative electrodes, aconductive connection from said supplemental positive electrode to themain supply circuit, a resistance in said connection, a secondsupplemental positive electrode also connected with the main supplycircuit through a portion of said resistance, and means forautomatically opening the connections with the supplemental positiveelectrode by reason of the current flowing to the main positiveelectrodes.

5. The combination in a vapor electric device, of a container, a workingpositive electrode and a working negative electrode therein aninterposed internally located solid conductor, a connection therefromwith the main positive electrode and a resistance interposed in saidconnection and means for interrupting the said connection by the passageof current between the working electrodes. 1

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York,this 12th day of April, A. D. 1905.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, GEORGE H. STooKBRInGE.

